Fallen Hero
by RoseintheShadows7
Summary: Robin was dead… that much was certain. Not much else was anymore. How could hope survive when he couldn't? The team was separated. They all wondered, they all wished, but nothing… nothing at all could bring their leader back. WARNING: Character death.
1. Chapter 1

Robin was dead… that much was certain. Not much else was anymore. Starfire swallowed the tears as best she could, staring down at the boy wonder. "He…he is gone…" He seemed so fragile lying there…unlike he had been.

Beast Boy stood beside her, staring as well. "Star…It's my fault."

"NO!" She said, laying a hand on the changeling's shoulder. "You tried to stop it."

Raven clutched her aching shoulder. "This is it…isn't it? The end…"

Cyborg nodded slowly. "It's been good you guys. I knew it would end someday but, not like this."

Starfire knelt down on the hard concrete. "Goodbye Robin…Thank you, so very much. Not even a thousand chorlogs could've been happier than you made us. I love you."

Raven joined her. "Thank you Robin…I…you saved me more than a hundred times, along with the world. I'm proud of you." She rearranged Robin's cape so it wasn't wrapped around him so much.

Cyborg whispered. "Goodbye buddy…you made me see that I'm not just a machine."

Beast Boy could hardly say anything. It seemed like Robin would jump to his feet, laughing, as fine as ever. But he didn't…wouldn't… couldn't.

Tears fell, they poured down Starfire's face silently, and one or two escaped Raven's ever dry eyes. Cyborg lifted Robin's body carefully. "Come on…We need to get this to the authorities, and then we need to get out of here."

They nodded.

"It was a glorious funeral, yes?" Starfire whispered. Hundreds of citizens had shown, and even a few super heroes.

They stood in the Titan's Tower, for the last time. Beast Boy was silently staring around the house. This was it…his home for years and years. Now it was all gone.

"Goodbye Starfire…Cyborg." Raven said. Then she went over to BB. "Goodbye…I'll miss you, and your stupid jokes."

"What is that sarcasm?" Beast Boy teased. But then he hugged Raven. Taller than her now, he could finally call her shrimp, but there was no time for that now. "I'll miss that too."

"You won't forget me…will you?" She whispered. An abandoned lamp burst in a cloud of black aura.

"Never… I love you Rae." He bent down and kissed her. Who cared if she didn't like him back? Who knew when he'd see her again? He just wanted to say goodbye the way he wanted to.

To BB surprise Raven Kissed him back. "Goodbye…I love you too."

Starfire and Cyborg snuck out of the room. "I will miss you as well friend Cyborg." She smiled weakly. "I am to return to my home planet by next morning."

"Bye Star, I'm sorry it ends here."

"And I as well."

A month passed. Then two… soon spring fell into summer…And Summer melted into fall.

October was especially lonely for Raven. Children in Jump City dressed as her and the Team sometimes; she had even seen a small boy dressed as Robin.

It was hard, living in a house all alone, nobody to talk to. "And to think I spent half my time alone." She sighed.

She could almost hear Starfire's voice, snapping her out of meditation, begging to go 'to the mall of shopping' or to 'do the painting of the toenails'.

She hardly ever cried but on October 31st she did. Five children came trick or treating together. The wore the costumes of Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and…Batman. It wasn't the fact that none of them had dressed as her, it was the little boys dressed as Beast Boy and Robin.

The children had painted their faces, so the boy dressed as BB was green faced. He had even worn vampire fangs, trying to imitate the one fang that stuck above BB's lip. That made her cry, but she held it in until they had left with their candies.

And the boy dressed like Robin was wearing a cape… in the wind it had twisted around him like Robin's cape had during the fall… In the end it seemed like the moment would haunt Raven forever.

FLASH BACK!!

Robin seemed to be a broken doll as he fell from the building… arms and legs going off in all directions. His black hair blowing in the wind… His cape flying backwards, the tail to the falling creature.

For a few moments Raven thought he would just pull something out of his belt and stop himself… but instead he just fell to the earth… not even trying to save himself.

"ROBIN!!!" Had been the shrill scream on all sides, Starfire flew to his side.

The world was darkening as Raven stared at Robin's still, dead body… she fainted…falling into the darkness.

END FLASHBACK!!!!

They all wondered, they all wished, but nothing… nothing at all could bring their leader back.


	2. Chapter 2

Starfire woke from the nightmare. "ROBIN NO!!!" She cried, outstretching her hand as if she could've caught Robin… But that had been months ago.

Instead her hand hung there, suspended, still hoping to catch the masked boy before his fall. She was no longer in Jump City… She had returned to Tamaran, welcomed as their princess, and treated better than a spoiled child.

She had spent days crying, days more calling the others from the now unused communicators, and weeks and weeks' denying Robin was dead, half expecting him to knock on her bedroom door and say "I tricked you guys, I'm not really dead Star!!" Then they'd live the happily ever after Star had heard so much about in fairy tales.

But he never knocked, none of the Titans called back, and Starfire felt utterly alone. Her adoptive father tried his best to cheer her up and sometimes she would feel better, but almost always went back to daydreaming the Boy Wonder was there to whisk her away…

"How did this happen to us?" Starfire whispered in the darkness of her room. "Why has this happened to us?"

He was destined to be a hero…destined to be Nightwing, crusader of justice… destined to love her forever… Why?

"It is not the fair." She said to nobody in particular. "He was good, a hero of the great… and he died…"

She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them close. "Who would do such a tragedy?"

Starfire was suddenly overcome by the pure need to pull out the old pictures, the ones that were already fading because of how often they were out. She pulled her secret box off of the top shelf in her dresser and opened it.

First she pulled out a necklace she had worn on Glorthog, next was her first CD that Robin had given her. She had been intrigued by the music it could make.

Setting these aside she fished around in the contents of the box, pulling out a bottle of black nail polish she grinned. "Oh how I miss the painting of the toenails with friend Raven." She whispered to herself.

Next came the box of cards they had always played, with the pictures of storms and meteors. Robin and Cyborg had disappeared after Cyborg had beaten him.

It was so strange. It was such a simple thing… nothing special… but all Starfire wanted at that moment was a hug. For somebody to just hold her in their arms and tell her it would be alright.

Or better yet…For someone to erase that memory of Robin lying there on the concrete, still and silent…gone.

Couldn't somebody make the hurting go away? Or to just cushion it a little? To make the aching cease for just a moment…for the pain to just melt.

Starfire broke down and had a good cry, clutching the deck of cards and nail-polish bottle close to her. She fell asleep, curled up next to her treasure box, the memories scattered around her in the forms of pictures.

Beast Boy sat in the diner, alone once again.

It was hard for him to fit in, green as he was. He still blamed himself for what had happened. The others had told him time and time again that it wasn't his fault, but that didn't change the fact that he could've stopped it.

He could've done something…pushed Robin out of the way, gotten there sooner, thrown himself after him when he fell, the list of things the changeling could've done was just endless. He could've saved him…it was his entire fault.

"Here you go sir, anything else?" The waitress asked, setting down the slice of pizza in front of him.

"No…Thanks though." He smiled as warmly as he could manage.

She smiled back and walked to the next table.

The memory was fresh…still painful to think about. Robin had been trapped on the top of the twenty story building, his utility belt falling out of his reach.

Droids were closing in, Beast Boy made it just in time to see the largest one advance on Robin. He could've stopped it, but he saw Raven flying overhead, and then struck down… It was either chancing her safety, or letting Robin fall… Why did he do that? Why did he turn away from his leader?

Beast Boy pulled himself out of the memory… He couldn't and wouldn't let the rest play out. He refused to watch Robin fall again.

He ate quickly and left, paying the tab silently.

Where should he go now? It was late and things were closing down, so about the only place left to go was the dance club on the edge of Gotham. So he headed off in that direction, wondering if one of the houses he passed contained the sleeping Raven, she did live around here somewhere.

Then he saw her, returning home from a night out. She had abandoned her cloak and was wearing a simple black t-shirt and tight jeans, and she didn't notice him walking along the side of the road. She pushed her front door open and stepped inside, not even glancing over her shoulder.

He considered it for a moment. It would be so easy to walk up her porch steps and knock… but so hard to look her in the eyes and remember what had happened… how he had given everything away, including her.

So he walked on, past the small town house, trying not to think of her little half smile, trying to ignore how much he truly loved her.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered.

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They all wondered, they all wished, but nothing… nothing at all could bring their leader back.


	3. Chapter 3

He had often wondered what Robin would've done differently if he'd known the outcome before hand… how the Boy Wonder would've beaten the bad guy once and for all.

But he didn't have time for that now, he had to trace down clues, figure out who was behind this mess, come up with a plan, fight, and hopefully win. There was no time for sadness or mourning… there was no point in it either… nothing would bring the boy back.

He often wondered what Robin would've done with his life if he hadn't put on a mask. What would be different? But as always, he had to push his wants and needs to the side for the good of Gotham…

It was hard though; with Robin gone there was more crime on the streets, more villains to capture, and less and less time to find the true bad guy.

"You need rest, sir." Came Alfred's tired voice.

"I'll rest when I have this figured out." Bruce Wayne said calmly, in his gruff monotone.

"With all due respect Master Wayne, you won't have any energy left to take care of this crime if you don't rest sometime."

Bruce sighed and pushed away from the cluttered desk. "What am I supposed to do Alfred, give up?"

"I'm truthfully not sure what to tell you Master Wayne, I'm still wondering the same amount of things you are."

Bruce massaged the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. "I don't know what to do anymore, Alfred. How could he have been so stupid?"

"I think he was more distracted than stupid. Master Grayson never did get into being separate from his emotions." Alfred thought for a moment. "Perhaps it had to do with the red haired girl that was there, Master Grayson did seem interested in her."

Bruce brought the picture of the orange skinned, green eyed girl that Robin had fallen in love with. It was a possibility… but there were other pieces to the puzzle that didn't connect. How did a group of teenagers come so close to the answers and then just give up? Didn't they realize that whoever, or whatever, had caused this would still be out there, waiting to strike again?

What was he supposed to do? There were no more leads, no more suspects, and no where else to search. The Batman had scoured the planet searching for answers and the only thing that had changed was the fact that there was nobody helping him.

Robin's friend Cyborg had helped for a while, but disappeared one night, leaving a note that simply read, 'I can't do this anymore. Went into hiding. Good luck.' What was he supposed to make of THAT??

Bruce followed Alfred back upstairs into the mansion, leaving the Batcave behind.

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Raven hung her jacket on the rack. What day was it again? November the thirteenth… Beast Boy's birthday. She considered trying to find him… wondered if she could.

Finally, after hours of trying to interest herself with a book, she floated up the stairs, pulled the attic ladder down and ascended into the dusty upper room of her small home. "I really need to do some Spring cleaning." She muttered to herself.

After groping around in the dark for a good five minutes she found the light switch and flicked it on, she could've just used her powers but the normality of a light bulb made her feel less… creepy.

Then the search began, Raven rifled through several cardboard boxes, finding only old books and the occasional vile of magic sand. But she didn't find the object she was looking for.

But then, after an hour or two of searching, she found it. The round communicator had nestled itself in a fold of Raven's striped referee cloak that she had used on the rare occasion of a game of stank-ball.

Raven held it in her right hand, examining it. It looked like it always had… maybe it still worked. She pressed Beast Boy's speed dial… and waited. After what seemed like an eternity, Beast Boy's green face appeared on the small screen. "Raven?!?!"

"Beast Boy!!!" Raven squealed happily. She smacked a hand over her mouth and blushed. "I mean, Hey BB!"

"Raven… wow…" Beast Boy seemed to be in awe. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Same here." Raven smirked. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks. Wow…" Beast Boy repeated. It seemed like his green eyes couldn't see anything but Raven. "How are you?"

"All right I guess. But hey, where are you?"

"Where?"

"Yeah, I thought we could…you know…" Raven blushed. "Hang out."

"Sure, I'm actually at the east shore right now, you wanna come meet me?"

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	4. Chapter 4

Raven hurried down the abandoned backstreets of Gotham city. She couldn't help smiling as she imagined seeing Beast Boy again. She had missed him more than she'd ever missed anyone.

After what seemed like walking for hours on end Raven could see the shoreline of Gotham Beach. She quickened her pace when she saw the changeling staring out at the blue ocean.

"Hey." Raven said, sitting next to him.

"Hi." He smiled.

They sat silently, neither one knowing what to say. Raven tried to ignore the fact his shoulders had become broader, and that he actually had muscles. Beast Boy was trying to ignore how beautiful her eyes were in the soft moonlight.

"Where have you been?" He finally asked.

"I'm renting a house about two miles from here… you?"

"Living where ever I can I guess, mostly trying to avoid the paparazzi." He grinned. "And my millions of fangirls."

Raven didn't even suppress the giggles. "Of course, who wouldn't chase after a catch like you?"

"That's right. I'm the hunkiest green guy you've ever met."

"And the only green guy I've ever met."

"And I have the most irresistible green pointed ears." Beast Boy said, his smile broadening ever more.

Raven laughed… she actually laughed. Beast Boy laughed at her laughing, and Raven laughed at him laughing, and soon they were lying on the cool sand laughing so hard they could hardly breathe.

"I missed you Rae." Beast Boy said after they'd calmed down.

Raven didn't complain about the nickname, in fact, she'd missed it. "I've missed you too… you and your green pointy ears.

Beast Boy sat up. "So… we're cool?"

Raven sat up too, leaning on one arm. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… we're still friends… even after last time we saw each other?"

Raven blushed bright red. She had suddenly been hit hard with the memory of saying goodbye to Beast Boy in the Tower. "More than friends BB… Best friends."

"Even after all that you still want to be my friend?" He asked, surprised.

"Of course! You still liked me when I almost destroyed man-kind. I can still like you after we…" Her blush intensified. "…kissed."

"You're the best friend I ever had Rae." He stood and helped her to her feet.

She hugged him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "I never want to leave again Beast Boy…" She whispered, "never…"

Beast Boy gently pushed her away and laid his hands on her shoulders. Purple met green as they gazed into each other's eyes. "I'll visit you."

"Everyday?"

"If that's what you want."

"You won't forget about me…will you?"

"Never."

She bit her lip and tried to fight off tears, but was losing. "Do you love me BB?"

Beast Boy smiled. "Always."

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Starfire walked through the palace corridors, thinking about Robin yet again. What was so important about him? Why could she never focus because of his memory? Why did everything she ever did remind her of him?

Starfire knew nothing would bring him back, but that didn't keep her from wishing there was some way she could. The easy thing to do would be to just forget all about him… that would also be the hardest.

Starfire didn't realize that a Tamerainian boy walking towards her, totally focused on the book he was carrying. They ran right into each other. "Oh…I am terribly sorry!" He gasped in accented English.

He reached out a hand and helped Starfire to her feet. "You… you speak the Earth tongue as well?"

Suddenly who he had bumped into dawned on the boy. "Y...Yes Princess. I study Earthly traditions, culture, and languages. I am terribly sorry, princess, I really should be more careful."

"No, do not be the sorry. I am most pleased to have some one to speak to. I am Starfire, and you may call me that rather than Princess."

"Starfire." He smiled. "I like that name. I'm Glorgarth, but my companions call me Glor."

"It is most pleasing to meet you Glor. Please tell me, do you know anything of the fun we can take part in?" She asked.

"Fun? Well, we could go see if my new invention works."

"You are an inventor?" Starfire asked as Glor lead her down a hallway she'd never ventured down.

"Well, not really an inventor, I do a lot of tinkering that's for the sure." Glor pushed a door open.

"Tinkering?" Starfire repeated in confusion.

"I like to try to make things out of odds and ends, but most of the time my 'inventions' don't work."

"Odds…and ends? I do not understand the way you use these terms." Starfire followed him through the door.

"Odds and ends are just different objects I find around the junk piles. Like light bulbs or wires."

"Oh…" Starfire nodded, pretending to understand. "Yes. So what is your newest of the… tinkers?"

Glor laughed. "Right over her. I call it my 'Memorandum'. You simply put this helmet on, and random memories appear on screen here. I hope to use it to more effectively get the true evidence from criminals."

"So, you are interested in the capturing of the bad guys, and the kicking of their butts?" Starfire asked.

"Of course. Who wouldn't want to bring justice into this dark world of ours? I also want to ship this prototype to Earth, so the Earth dwellers may use it as well." Glor grinned. "Besides, wouldn't it be interesting to get a peek into the minds of others?"

"Yes it would be most interesting." Starfire examined the helmet. "May I… give it a go?"

"Help yourself."

Starfire slid the helmet on, and a static filled image appeared on the screen.

"Hang on a second; it just needs a few minor adjustments." Glor said, turning a knob on the side of the screen. The image became clear.

(The scene playing out on the screen)

Raven frowned at the pink Starfire had insisted on painting her toe nails. "I hate this color."

"But friend Raven, pink is one of the most beautiful colors with your light skin."

"I still hate it."

The scene changed suddenly.

Beast Boy and Cyborg wrestled for the remote while Raven sat, reading a thick book, and Robin was sitting at the dining table studying the newspaper like he had a test on it. Starfire floated over a smiled at him. "Would you accompany me to the shore of beaches where we can all enjoy the salty water and warm sunshine?"

"Sure." Robin grinned, folding the paper.

Again the scene changed.

Robin was falling… it seemed like the fall was drawn out, in slow motion.

His black hair whipped around in the wind and he didn't move at all…

He careened toward Earth at top speed…

(end memory scene)

Starfire yanked the helmet off. "I do not wish to see anymore." She choked out, her eyes filling with tears.

"Star… I'm sorry I didn't know." Glor took the helmet from her hands and set it aside. "I…I'm so sorry."

Starfire covered her face with her hands. "I cannot believe he is gone… He was so strong…"

Glor approached her slowly. "He meant a lot to you… didn't he?"

Starfire burst into tears and backed into the wall, sliding to the floor. "They all did, but Robin was… Robin was different. He…he loved me…and…and…" She sobbed.

"Hey…"Glor sat down next to her. "Please don't cry… I… it'll be okay Starfire."

Starfire looked up at him in confusion. "How can it be okay if he is gone?"

Glor shrugged. "I don't know for sure… I mean, those other people were your friends too right? Maybe if you find them, things will start to heal."

"How can I find them? They are on Earth, to far from reach."

"You're a princess; we could have a ship ready for you by tonight if you wanted."

Starfire thought for a moment. It was hard to fathom a team without Robin… "I must…consider this."

"It's just an idea… and Starfire?"

"Yes?"

"I really am sorry. I didn't want to make you feel bad. I just…"

"Do not worry Glor… Perhaps you are right. Maybe I do need…to heal."

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	5. Chapter 5

Glor rewound the tape of Starfire's memory again. Again the Earth boy fell silently towards the city streets. Again the bloodcurdling screech of brakes resonated through out the small workshop. Again Starfire cried, "Robin!!!"

The tamerainian boy pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to focus in on who this kid was. He blamed himself for how sad the princess was; after all it was his fault for showing her the Memorandum.

Glor pushed a stack of dusty books aside, scattering them across the floors, and put the Memorandum's helmet in their original place. He then sat down and closed his eyes tiredly. Why did the name Robin ring such a loud, unidentifiable bell in the very back of his subconscious? "Robin…Robin…ROBIN!!" He repeated into the shadows, trying to force a connection. "Earth, Robin, Starfire, Jump City, those robots…How do they connect?" He demanded the answer from nobody in particular.

Sighing Glor let his chin slump to his chest, giving up on that subject for the time being; now searching for answers elsewhere. "Okay…so robotics." He said quietly and less urgent than his previous tone, "Who near Jump City knows about robotics?"

The young inventor fell asleep pondering his clouded senses for answers. The door opened and closed quietly and he did not stir. Had he woken then maybe he never would've found his answers. A note was fastened to the Memorandum, falsely signed, and the sender slipped out again.

Glor slept on in his chair until day-break and when he aroused his neck was stiff and sore. "Ugh…falling asleep in here was not a good move by me." Then the note was spotted and it's envelope torn open, read, and the recipient's eyes widened. "Dear Glorgarth, I know what information you seek. I know the answers. I know who killed Robin. Signed, Kid Flash. P.S expect the answers to arrive soon. Wait."

Glor frowned. "Kid…Flash?" He toyed with the words on his tongue. He was literate in English but he had never heard of a child of flashing light. "Wait…" Glorgarth repeated thoughtfully.

The note was folded and slipped into the owner's pocket. Deciding that it was best to let the matter of Robin's death rest Glor turned his full attention to Starfire's current predicament. How was he supposed to convince her that going back to them would be best? And then there was that Batman… how did he fit in with all of this craziness?

Finally, Glor concluded that no more sensible ideas would come from sitting in his poorly lit lab and perhaps a walk out in the courtyard would do him some good.

* * *

In a place far away, back on planet earth Bruce cleared his desk in the Batcave. The door opened and closed quietly. "I thought you'd still be down here."

Bruce sighed at the familiar tone of the young boy's voice. "Not now."

"Aw come on Mr. Wayne! You've been down here for weeks straight! I've had to clean up the streets on my own." The uninvited and currently unwanted visitor sat down on the edge of Bruce's long desk. "Just one night… for Grayson?"

Bruce glared at the masked boy. "No, how many times to I have to say it?"

The boy ran a gloved hand through his black spiked hair. "How long has it been again Mr. Wayne? Six years?"

"Seven… it's been seven years Tim."

"Seven years." The boy whistled. "So I was 9…"

"Tim Please…"

"So he must've been what? 12? 11?"

"Thirteen two weeks from fourteen Tim. Dick was 14 years old when he left." Bruce rested his head in the palm of his hand.

"So he was…" Tim lay on his back, ignoring his mentor's protest. "Turning twenty?"

"It was three days until his birthday Tim. Happy now?" Bruce didn't look at the new Robin. Well… hardly new. Tim Drake had taken over Robin's position seven years ago…

"Actually no, far from happy..." Tim sighed, toying with a pen from the millionaire's desk. "You know me, five years ago I would've been satisfied with the sliver of information I have on him but after…"

"Can we not talk about this right now?" Bruce interjected irritably. The last thing he needed on his mind was what had happened five years ago. "Did you and Barbra find anything yet?"

Tim shrugged. "I've chased down every lead that we've had for the past four years. The last one we have is Harley Quinn, the reason I was trying to talk to you about that 'lovely little incident'." The light tone in the teenager's voice turned acidic as the name slipped between his lips.

Bruce caught this and tried a subject change. "Now Tim, let's slow down a minute." Tim nodded and slid off of the desk, seating himself in another straight backed chair across from the masked crusader. "We could get the Titan's back, stir up some old rivals of theirs, and see if we find anything new."

Tim Drake nodded slowly. "Yeah…I did pull up some files on all of them. Turns out two of them are living in the city, one went to some different planet, and the other…" Tim scratched his head. "Well… who knows where the other one is."

"Well, it's a stretch but it's a start."

"Should I track them down?"

"Start with the two staying here."

When Tim stood to leave he smirked. "Finally getting somewhere huh Batman?"

"Finally," Bruce nodded.

* * *

Raven locked her front door and all of the windows in her tiny house. Word was flying around about a massive team of robbers hanging around her neighborhood. She could defend herself but would really rather not. Then they'd all come after her again, everyone who had forgotten her and her abilities would come flocking back trying to pick her off.

Beast Boy had promised to stay close by in case of trouble.

A slow, steady rain began to fall, beating against the shingles of the roof. Raven climbed the stairs to her second floor room quickly, hoping to get to bed at a semi-decent hour, although it was already 2 a.m.

Just as she was dosing into a light sleep the phone rang shrilly. Raven frowned not wanting to get up. "Leave me alone!" She said into the receiver.

"I'm sorry Miss Rachel but I assure you listening is far more important than what you are currently doing." A young man's voice replied. "This is a Rachel Julliard correct?"

"Yes…this is she." Raven said nodding for her own benefit.

"I'm sorry for the late hour of this call Miss Rachel, but could you look out your window and check something for me?" The voice asked.

"I suppose, what am I looking for?"

"The Batman's insignia, it should be somewhere in the clouds."

"I see it… Who are you?"

"My name is Tim, Tim Drake. Miss Rachel, have you ever heard of a Dick Grayson?"

Raven's blood went ice cold. "I swear to god who is this and what do you want from me?!" Raven demanded.

The voice remained calm despite Raven's desperate tone. "Please Miss Rachel. I only need to ask you a few questions. Have you ever heard of a Raven, former member of the Teen Titans?"

"Who hasn't?" Raven asked, deciding that a cool passive manner would be best.

"Not many people Miss Rachel. But I have reason to understand you have connections to her, am I right?"

Raven remained silent.

Finally the Tim Drake on the other line sighed tiredly. "Miss Rachel, I know what you must be thinking. Crazy kid calls you in the early morning asking for information you might not even have. But you must understand… I have done everything I can with the resources I have! I'm trying to solve a case that has to do with Raven's team leader. I have nowhere else to turn and my last lead was unable to help me… please!"

The pure desperation in Drake's voice convinced her. "All right Mr. Drake. I have connections. How can I help?"

* * *

Raven stood on the roof of the ten-story building where the Bat Signal was located, waiting for Batman to show as was instructed by Tim Drake. Beast Boy hid in the shadows waiting for the tiniest sign of trouble.

"Raven?" A deep, harsh voice asked.

Raven spun around to see the Batman standing behind her, he had appeared out of nowhere. "Yes… I'm Raven."

Batman sighed. "You're friend can come out of the shadows, I'm alone."

Beast Boy slowly emerged from the wall of the stair well. "How'd you know where I was?"

"I trained Robin who trained you; do you really think I'd miss it?" Batman said dryly.

Raven cut in. "What do you want?"

"A list of your former enemies. My… partner and I need new leads."

"Tim Drake?"

"Kids got a big mouth." The masked man muttered. "He didn't tell you that he's…" Batman stopped short.

"He's what?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yeah… what were you going to say Batman?" A voice came from behind them.

The two teens whirled around to see the spitting image of Robin sitting on the ledge of the wall.

"ROBIN!!" Raven beamed and rushed to hug him. "I just knew you weren't dead I KNEW it!!"

Robin stared down at the overjoyed girl sadly. "I'm sorry… I'm not Dick Grayson."

Raven let go and gazed up at him. Sure enough he was different than the Robin she'd known; a little shorter, with a more care-free attitude carried with him. "Oh… I…I…"

"It's all right 'Miss Rachel'. I've been around since the Robin you knew left." A sad smile tugged at his lips. "You need to work on disguising your voice."

Beast Boy raised his hand. "Uhm, I'm seriously confused now. There are two Robins?"

"Yeah, it takes some getting used to." Robin laughed. "To the Bat-mobile!" He yelled, and leapt from the roof top.

Raven looked at Batman with an odd expression. Batman nodded. "He does that sometimes. Very different from Dick."

* * *

**On that slightly more pleasant note, dear reader, I leave you. Review, review, review please!!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Wait, can we run through that ONE last time?" Beast Boy asked. Batman had led them to his underground hideout and had just explained what had happened when the original Robin left.

Tim sat, listening to the familiar tale as if it were some mildly interesting side-show. He was more interested with the list that the guests had given him. Control Freak, Mumbo Jumbo, Mad-Mod, Billy-Numerous, Gizmo, See-more, Cinderblock; the whole list of names were ridiculous play on words or things that made their powers and abilities obvious… not that this surprised him.

But one name seemed to jump off the page. Red-X… familiar? No… de-ja-vou inducing? Most definitely. "I think I have one." He said, holding the list up. "Red-X"

Batman, Beast Boy, and Raven glanced at each other. They all knew what had happened… Tim Drake had never been informed. "We took care of him a long time ago." Beast Boy finally said, waving a dismissive hand, "Nothing to worry about there."

"Oh…" Robin sank into the swivel chair glumly.

"As I was saying," Batman interjected. "When Dick left to establish himself as a lone hero I had been going it alone for a while, but then questions arouse from several others… and one boy got snoopy."

Tim smiled. "Yeah, I followed a set of tire-tracks into Batman's secret lair here. I joined his little team out of mere curiosity. It went well for a while until…" The teen stopped abruptly. "Until…"

"Are you all right?" Raven asked. "You've gone pale."

He nodded slowly. "Just…tired…" Was his monotonous response, "I think I need a break… this is all a lot to grasp you know…"

"Go on Tim." Batman motion towards the door, "Go cool off."

When the masked boy left Beast Boy turned to Batman. "What's with him?"

"Tim's been through so much, it's been wearing him down for a while now." Batman turned and pulled off his mask. "I suppose since I know who you all are you should know who I am."

When he turned both pairs of eyes watching widened considerably, "Bruce Wayne!!"

Bruce nodded. "You are both welcome to stay. Alfred?" Bruce called into the depths of the shadows.

"Yes Master Wayne?" The butler appeared almost immediately. "I see you brought some friends home without letting me know. I've kept dinner warm all night."

"I'll be sure to let you know next time there's a party Alfred, but right now these two need rooms. Once their ready we'll eat."

"Yes master Wayne." He nodded to Raven and Beast Boy. "And who do I have the pleasure of meeting this fine evening?"

"I'm Raven." Raven introduced herself, pulling her hood back.

"Beast Boy." The changeling offered a hand.

Alfred shook it. "Ah, you're those two I always read about in the news. You were friends of Master Grayson am I correct?"

"Very good friends with him Mister…"

"Please Raven, just call me Alfred." The butler smiled good naturedly.

"Alfred." Raven nodded, "I'll remember that."

When Alfred began to lead the two away he stopped and asked Bruce. "Coming Sir?"

"I need to patch up a little Alfred, I'll be in soon."

* * *

Tim held his head between his hands. "Forget about it Drake… you didn't mean to…you didn't mean to do it… it isn't your fault…"

The black mask was removed and the green gloves were pulled from the nervous boy's hands. "If you had been yourself at the time then you wouldn't have done it…"

A whole five years hadn't washed away the pain that night had caused. The cape was hung, the boots thrown carelessly into the corner. "You never meant to hurt anybody… it was NOT your fault!"

A nice outfit of a tee shirt and blue jeans was pulled on. He began to go through the list of names in his mind, hoping for something to trigger an epiphany. Blackfire, Doctor Light, the Joker… Joker… That name was NOT on their list and yet the name was permanently etched in Tim's mind. "No…" He breathed, fending off the memories. "No… no…"

A soft knock at the door neatly made the teenager jump out of his skin. "Master Drake are you all right in there?"

Tim hurriedly composed himself. "I'm fine Alfred, I'll be right down."

"Well hurry Master Drake, our guests are waiting."

* * *

Beat Boy reached out a hand to touch a glittering crystal glass. "Whoa!!"

"Don't. Touch. ANYTHING!" Raven warned.

Beast Boy pouted. "Awe, come on Rae! I'm not five!!"

"Head's up!" Tim shouted from the top of the banister. He stood at the very edge and slid down on the sides of his shoes, landing on the back board of a velvet chair, perfectly balanced. "Ha! Top that!"

Beast Boy laughed along with Tim. "Dude! That was so cool!"

The stunt artist took a bow, still precariously perched on top of the chair. "Thank you, thank you."

"You are both so immature." Raven muttered.

Tim rolled his eyes and hopped down from the chair. "Admit it, that was amazing."

"If you're all quite finished dinner is served." Alfred said from the end of the corridor. "Master Wayne would be impressed Master Drake. You have improved." A smile tugged at his lips. "Last time you tried that you broke a vase."

* * *

Robin pushed away from the long black mahogany table, he had hardly eaten. "I'm full, I have stuff to finish."

As the teen turned to leave Alfred stopped him. "Now Master Grayson, how do you expect to get anything done on an empty stomach?"

Beast Boy chortled from his seat at the opposite end of the table. Raven frowned as Tim seemed to tense slightly, "I'm not hungry Alfred."

Again the good natured butler stopped the boy. "How do you ever expect to get past the past if you're always glancing over your shoulder?"

"Here, here." Bruce said entering the room, "Tim if you want to talk about it again we can."

"Easy for you to say…" Tim muttered, hardly louder than his quietly drawn breath. "You didn't do it."

"You and I both know that you weren't—" Bruce started.

"Did I miss something?" An unidentified voice asked. I red haired woman entered the dining room. "Tim have you been brooding again?"

"Ah, there you are Miss Gordon. I didn't realize you were coming tonight." Alfred said to the blue eyed girl.

Raven and Beast Boy exchanged confused glances, unsure of what was going on.

"Barbra this is Beast Boy and Raven. They're going to help us track down whoever killed Dick." Bruce explained.

"It's a pleasure I'm sure but Bruce… There is a bit of a problem. Tim and I have realized that we have exhausted every lead up until Harley but—"

"He and I have already discussed that." Tim cut in.

"Wait, who's Harley Quinn?" Beast Boy interjected.

Silence reined the massive room. Tim glanced around hurriedly. "Can I leave now?" Alfred stepped aside and the teen hurried out without a goodnight or backwards glance

Barbra sat down and began to explain. "Harley Quinn was a physiatrist in the Arkham Asylum. While she was treating the Joker there she fell in love with him… you have heard of the Joker correct?"

Beast Boy and Raven both nodded. "On the news, front page stories, pretty much everywhere."

Bruce rubbed the back of his neck. "Well Harley fell madly in love with him. Stress on the madly. She joined him in his psychopathic ways and did some pretty big damage."

"Is that why Tim's acting so weird?" Beast Boy indicated Tim's less than enthusiastic behavior.

Alfred cleared his throat. "Perhaps that subject could wait for a better time Master Beast Boy?"

"What time is better than the present?" Raven returned wittily.

"This is different." Barbra said. "Trust me."

* * *

Glorgarth reached out a hand to knock on Starfire's chamber door. He wanted so badly just to ask her to walk and find some great way to make her life heal and to fix everything. It was his fault right?

When he had finally mustered up the courage to knock, the doors slid open, revealing a smiling Starfire. "Glorgarth! Many happy greetings!!" She shook the hand that he had extended to knock on the now retracted doors. "You were absolutely correct in your suggestion for me to return to my friends. I am most grateful."

"My idea?" Glor repeated in confusion.

"Yes! You were most wonderful to share the most exuberant of plans with me! Why should myself and my friends be apart? Robin would want us to stay together! Thank you Glor, thank you!!"

"Exuberant?"

"Come! We must at once make plans for departure! Please accompany me my friends would be most thrilled to meet you. I will contact them as soon as I can and we will return to the planet Earth. I will be with my friends and you can continue your research of the earthly culture! It is the most perfect of plans!"

"Slow down Star!" Glorgarth laughed, finally catching on. "I need to pack don't you?"

"It should only take a moment and then we could be off. It would be a long journey of the course but I can tell you all about them. And we will need to bring your invention too, it would be the perfect delivering time as well."

So they spent the rest of that afternoon and well into the evening packing and planning and arranging a ship. The two tamerainians agreed to meet the next morning at 5 a.m. and leave by 6.

Glor locked his lab door and headed down the abandoned corridors. Something seemed off, something just wasn't quite right. Glorgarth slowed to a standstill, listening for the faintest noise. When nothing happened he shook his head--blaming exhaustion for the sudden case of paranoia--and walked on. The feeling didn't leave but the suspicion was ignored.

_Perhaps at times, insanity was truly the better path…_

As he pushed the door to his chambers open Glorgarth glanced over his shoulder, frowning.

_Maybe it was best to leave well enough alone… _

The boy shrugged and entered his room closing the door behind him.

_Maybe insanity really was more comfortable than reality…_

The lights came on in the small living quarters, but the shadows still lurked in the corners.

_Maybe…_

Glor finally couldn't take the sense of paranoia any longer. He called out, "Who's there?"

_Just Maybe…_

When no response was offered Glor chuckled at his own stupidity, never to know who was watching him walk towards his comfortable bed.

_Maybe… there was no real way out…_

* * *

Tim sat erect in his bed. Someone was in the house that shouldn't be… something was wrong.

He pulled himself out of the bed and yanked on his costume. Gliding silently out of his room Robin looked left, then right, then bolted down the halls. He couldn't even hear his own footsteps so he knew the echoing sound belonged to another set of legs.

He tore down the main stairway and took a left, just in time to see the end of a black cape twist around the corner. He picked up speed, ready to catch the intruder.

Rounding the corner he froze. Quite literally. A sudden and familiar electric current coursed through his veins. "Ugh…" He groaned thudding to the hard marble floors, unable to move.

Half hidden by the shadows a dark silhouette stood, arm extended, holding the tazer in a death grip. The masked face stared down at the paralyzed boy head tilted.

Robin blinked a few times, trying to see clearly. "R—Red-x?"

"Oh you know me I'm flattered." The figure stepped into the light. "I thought you were dead."

"You're mistaken me for someone else." Robin frowned. "What do you want?"

"Hasn't the tamerainian kid arrived yet?" Red-X asked.

"Who?" Robin repeated trying to move.

Red-X slammed his whole palm against the trigger on the tazer controller. Tim's entire body jerked violently, the electricity becoming more painful… and far to familiar…

And just like that the pain was gone… Red-X was gone… and Robin found himself alone in the corridor once again, feeling slowly returning to his arms.

The pain was familiar as looking at your own reflection in the mirror would be. Robin was half surprised that his body hadn't even reacted to the high voltage currents.

Suddenly Robin realized he was being gently turned over. Beast Boy and Raven knelt over him, studying his stunned expression. "What happened Tim?"

"I…Red…" Tim stumbled through the simple syllables.

Beast Boy got up and retrieved the tazer from the floor. "What does this do?" He asked, pressing the button. **(How could he resist the big red button??)**

Again the electric currents invaded Tim Drake's whole body, this time more acute and forced than before. "AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

* * *

Barbra studied the controls carefully. Sure enough a small red 'x' was etched into the back. "Why didn't you fight back Tim?" She scolded, as if it were somehow his fault.

The teen hero stared into blank space. "It was happening all over again in my mind… all of it over and over…"

Raven chewed her lip nervously.

"And then it just stopped…" Tim shook his head in disbelief. "I am NEVER using one of those things."

Bruce was pacing, eyeing Tim from time to time. He was obviously worried for the boy. "Did he say ANYTHING at all?"

"'Didn't the tamerainian kid come yet?' That's all. I didn't get it…"

As if on que Raven's communicator went off. She flipped it open and saw a grinning Starfire on the screen. "Starfire!!"

"Many happy greetings Raven! I am excited to say that I am returning to Earth with a new one of the close friends of mine." Starfire turned her communicator to let Raven see the red-haired boy steering an airship. "This is my friend Glorgarth. He has a most interesting invention that I wish to share with you."

"That's great Star. We're actually staying with Bruce Wayne right now. I'll see if you can stop in." Raven glanced up at Bruce who was nodding to let her know that two additional teens could stay. "Meet us here whenever you can."

"We will be there on the tomorrow friend Raven. I must be the going now, I believe we may be passing a hole of the black right now."

The screen crackled and turned to static.

Tim seemed to pull himself back into reality. "I saw him dying again Bruce…"

Beast Boy's ears perked. "Okay, I'm officially confused. You saw who die?"

"Raven if I'm correct Glorgarth is a tamerainian inventor, and he was recently working on a memory re-simulator for Gotham city police department. We could get all of our questions answered then." Bruce cut in.

"Yeah but who died?"

"Wait you mean hook Tim up to some machine to replay that memory? What would that accomplish?" Barbra asked."

"It would investigate the Harley Quinn idea." Bruce nodded.

"Wait, WHO died?"

"But what would that put Tim through Bruce?"

"I'll try it." Tim nodded vigorously. "Better than explaining what happened out loud."

"I still have no clue who died."

"You think that reliving the whole experience would be better?!"

"Maybe it'll help me cope with what I've done."

"Tim's right Barbra. This could be what he needs."

"Did I miss the funeral?"

"What does Tim remember that you two don't?" Raven asked, speaking for the first time.

"What events lead up to the death of the Joker." Tim responded his tone yet again acidic.

"So the Joker died?" Beast Boy asked. "How?"

"I am the only one in this room who has ever intentionally killed someone." Tim said slowly.

Barbra and Bruce argued in unison. "YOU DIDN'T DO IT ON PURPOSE."

"You…you killed the Joker!" Raven gasped.

* * *

**Duhn duhn DAAAAAHHHHHH!!!**

**Hahahahahah!! *devilish laugh* Cliffhanger to top off yet another funky fresh chapter!!!**

**Those of you who've seen "The Joker returns"… no wait… maybe it was "The Return of The Joker"… But if you've seen that movie you know what happened.**

**Those of you who haven't… MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Cliffhanger!!!**

**Okay so I'm super tired… and??**

**So yeah… review review review plz!!**

**^.^**


	7. Chapter 7

Kid Flash rummaged around in the large pile of tools for the fifth time in twenty seconds. His project was still far from finished though. "How's it coming over there Hun?" He called to his pink haired companion.

"It's hardly coming!" Jinx replied with a sigh. "I'm no good with circuits."

Just like his name Kid Flash was beside his fiancé's side in a flash. "That should be over there." He said, pointing to a small blue sprocket.

"Oh! So that's why the stupid thing wouldn't turn on." Jinx switched the component carefully. "You'd think that after three months of working on this it'd be running by now…"

With a slight breeze following behind him the fiery-haired hero appeared on the opposite side of the underground garage. "Well, he is really complex. Truthfully I didn't think we'd find all of his pieces in time."

Jinx set down her work. "When are we getting married?" She asked, even though the subject had been tossed around for a year now.

He put down his work to and wrapped his arms protectively around her. "Soon, I promise."

"You always say that." Jinx grumbled.

Wallis turned his head on a tilt, imitating her pouting expression. "You always say that I say that."

"Well, you do!" Jinx giggled, unable to not laugh at her long time boyfriend's goofiness. "So can we get married today?" She played with the engagement ring on her finger.

"I though you wanted one of those fancy weddings we were talking about," He said, toying with her hair. It was a habit really, he did it constantly now.

"No, I want to get married… I don't need a wedding."

"Okay then," Kid Flash beamed. He cleared his throat and in his best pastor impression he said. "Do you Jennifer Jinx take Wallis Kid Flash to be your husband in sickness and in health for better and for worse?"

Jinx beamed, "I do."

"And do you Wallis Kid Flash take Jennifer Jinx to be your lawfully wedded wife in sickness and in health for rich or for poor for better and for worse until death do you part?"

Then stepping over to the opposite side of Jinx he said in his own voice, "Well……… can you please repeat the question?"

Jinx giggled as he again took on the role of minister and said, "Certainly, the question was… I think the question was will you marry this chick or not."

"Well DUH I'll marry her why would I be here if I wouldn't??"

"Well I don't know I'm just supposed to ask that." Kid Flash shrugged. "Kiss her then."

"I intend to!"

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Nothing!" Kid Flash finished his speech with a kiss for Jinx.

They held each other close for a moment or two even when their lips parted. "Are we supposed to feel different now?" Jinx finally asked frowning when no strange sensation took over.

"I don't know I've never been married before." Wallis shrugged. "I feel a little different… not a catastrophic difference."

"Hmm…" Jinx murmured between a second and third kiss.

Between the fourth and fifth kiss Kid Flash managed, "We should probably get back to work."

By the tenth kiss the two were both light headed and both had completely forgotten the importance of the task at hand.

Finally Jinx pushed away from her newly wed husband. "Okay, Remember… Honeymoon later, fixing Cyborg now."

Kid Flash nodded. "Were should we go?"

"We'll figure that out later." Jennifer said, turning back to her work on the main circuit board.

"Hey…" Kid Flash ran a finger along her jaw-line "I love you."

* * *

Tim stared at himself blankly in the mirror. This was it, the moment of truth… after this it would be out on the table… ALL OF IT…

He noted that he certainly WAS paler, a LOT paler. His eyes seemed dull even to their owner and an air of foreboding was carried with him. To be honest, he was more worried about this Starfire girl. Rachel had reacted badly and she was just his close friend… what would the love of his life do?

Beneath all of the happy exterior Tim Drake had always been a little different. He had no doubt in his mind that he was a killer. "Forget about it…" He muttered to the pale emotionless boy gazing back at his from the opposite side of the mirror.

"Tim!! Their here!" Beast Boy's voice carried throughout the whole house.

Tim pulled himself together, forcing color into his sheet white cheeks. "Coming!"

* * *

Starfire flung her arms around Raven's neck. "Oh friend Raven I have missed you so!"

Struggling for air Raven nodded, "I've missed you too Star."

"This is my new friend, Glorgarth. Friend Glorgarth this is friend Raven and friend Beast Boy."

Glorgarth extended an orange hand. "Nice to meet you both. It's terribly hard to get to this place from Tamaran."

Both Beast Boy and Raven shook his hand.

Robin stood at the top of the steps, still debating on whether or not he should descend them and face the music or turn tail until later that day.

Starfire spotted him and froze.

All eyes slid to where Robin stood at the top of the stairs. Slowly, he walked down them. Many times when he was younger Tim would count the stairs as he went… but now he walked with a sense of melancholy carried deep within his soul. He stopped right in front of the orange girl, who stared at him blankly."I—" He started.

His words froze in his throat when Starfire's flat palm came across his cheek. Robin reached up and touched the stinging spot in surprise. The alien girl's green eyes filled with shimmering tears. "I can not even begin to tell you how upset you've made me Robin… I have spent the last months of my life believing you to be dead and…and…" She burst into a fit of hysteric sobs and threw her arms around the teen-aged boy. "I have cried and cried until no more tears came and then I thought of you day and night and here you are as fine as any healthy person would be and you NEVER told any of us!!"

Tim gently pushed the crying girl off of him, uncomfortable with how tightly her arms had been. "I am not who you think I am."

"You may repeat yourself a million times and you would never be so fully correct. I trusted you Robin!"

"No…" Tim looked away from her. "I'm not the Robin you loved."

Starfire's tears turned from tears of sorrow to tears of sheer anger and rage. "The Robin I believed I loved would never leave me for anything or any one person… You have changed…"

"NO!" Robin spun around and put his hands on Starfire's shoulders. "I am NOT Dick Grayson!"

Finally Starfire realized what he was saying. "You mean…"

"My name is Tim Drake…"

It took Raven a full two hours to calm her friend down.

* * *

"Are you sure it will work?" Batman asked Glor.

"Yes sir." Glor nodded. "This will show us random memories of anyone who uses it."

"Yes, but can you focus it directly on a specific memory?" Batgirl examined the helmet and viewing screen of the Memorandum.

Glor scratched his head. "I'm not sure, how fresh is the memory?"

"Five years or so."

"Probably not then."

"What if it's haunted the person it belongs to day and night?" Tim asked bitterly.

Glor shrugged. "All we can do is try. If it starts I could try to lock on the frequency." He accepted the helmet from Batgirl and eased it onto Robin's head.

"Are you sure about this Tim?" Raven asked from the corner of the Batcave.

"I'm never sure of anything."

Starfire watched as Glor turned on the machine and static ruled the viewing screen.

* * *

(Robin's Memories) (Italics are Robin/Tim's reactions and thoughts to the memories playing out.)

Raven beamed and rushed towards Robin. "ROBIN!!" She flung her arms around him. "I knew you weren't dead, I KNEW it!"

'_Why was this stupid thing on this? Get it over with already!'_

The scene changed and Robin was out alone on a rooftop, watching the city streets regular hustle and bustle. He smiled and took a deep breath of the cool night air. No problems for two weeks now other than a train wreck and a burning building. A pretty quite week for superheroes.

He decided to go rooftop jumping, seeing as the bat signal didn't appear.

Robin swung across an alley onto the opposing roof, then sauntered to the edge and struck a heroic pose, just for the sheer entertainment it brought the young hero. And then the cry that changed his life forever came. "Help! Help!!" Robin turned his head, spotting the young woman who the cry came from. "Somebody please HELP!!"

Easy. Two of 'em standing close enough together he could knock 'em both out in one fell swoop. "Hero time," He said, again for his own enjoyment. Swinging down with the help of his Robin-Rang the young hero smashed the two muggers' heads together. "That evens things up a little."

"_I do not understand. What has this to do with… the Joker?" Starfire whispered._

'_You'll see…'_

"Not really bird boy." The woman's high, clear voice rang a little. The screen went black for a few moments.

Slowly, almost hardly at all, the picture returned. Robin was half-conscious, tied in thick restraints to a straight backed hospital stretcher. "Ugh… my head…"

"Don't worry Sweety it's just a minor concussion." Finally the voice registered and the face swam into view. Harley Quinn. "You're father will be home from work soon."

"Father," Robin repeated. "What…what is this?!"

"This is your new home Jay," Harley grinned maliciously.

Robin tugged against the restraints now, still not understanding. "Where are we?"

"Your home Jay."

"Quit calling me that!"

Harley laughed. "Why would I quit calling you your name Jay?"

A door swung open. "Looks like daddy's home!"

The Joker's manic smiling face appeared from the shadows. "There's my little boy!"

Harley hugged him close. "How was work today?"

"Busy, covering up a few trails to keep the family safe." He turned his attention to the struggling Robin. "Hello sonny boy! How has your day been?"

It took a moment for Robin to register what he meant. "You're crazy… both of you!"

"Jay! That's no way to talk to your father!" Harley scolded. "Maybe you need some time out!"

A loud hissing noise sounded throughout the room. "Nighty night!"

_The screen again turned black._

"_I still don't get it!" Beast Boy said. "The Joker is Tim's DAD?"_

"_Keep watching…" Tim said slowly. "I blacked out there. This is where things get important."_

_This time the picture flashed on quickly. Robin gasped for air as if he wouldn't get enough into his lungs at once._

"Good morning son!" The Joker laughed, alone this time. "Did you sleep well?"

"I'm… I'm not your son!" Robin choked out.

Suddenly Robin's entire form stiffened as a massive 100 volt shock traveled through his muscles.  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

When the shock ended Robin panted slightly, eyes wide with surprise. "Now son, no back talk."

"This is insanity!" Robin shouted. He again struggled to free himself. "Where are we!?!"This time the Joker was not so lenient on his 'son'.1,000 Voltz pervaded every corner of his body. "AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Robin screamed again.

Robin's body jerked as if experiencing the episode again. Starfire's eyes widened.

The screen was dark but Robin's past voice still screamed. Again the picture flashed brightly onto the screen. "Cr...Craziness… insanity…"

"Come now Robby, it may be just that but isn't that better than all of…" The Joker motioned to a syringe he held in his hand.

The present Robin's whole body flinched as the memory played. Starfire was filled with the sudden urge to cover her eyes. Raven and Beast Boy both gasped. Barbra turned away… no, she would not watch this happen to him again.

'No…no…no…'

Robin's muscles spasmed out of control as the toxins invaded his being. He pulled even harder against the restraints, screaming out louder than he had ever screamed before.

The Joker watched this with a bored expression on his face.

Steadily the pain increased and beads of sweat ran down Robin's face. "STOP PLEASE!! JUST KILL ME MAKE IT STOP!!"

Now the Joker sat up with excitement, a wicked grin spread across his face. "What was it that you just said?"

"KILL ME!! JUST MAKE IT STOP!! !!!"

_Robin tore the helmet off, nearly flinging it across the room. The screen crackled, sounding annoyed that the boy had ended the playback so suddenly._

(End Memorandum scene)

Robin's hands shook, his arms ached as if he had bee pulling against the thick restraints again. Sweat trickled down his face.

Raven gazed in horror as Batgirl stepped forward to calm him. "Tim—"

"No… please…" He whispered, his voice hoarse and scratching the air. "Please… just a minute…"

Everyone stood statue stiff. Nobody dared speak, all of them burdened heavily with the scenes they had just experienced as if they had stood in the room as Robin was tortured. Beast Boy slowly took Raven's hand, noticing that a thin tear track remained on her cheek.

Robin's shoulders shook with silent sobs. Suddenly he turned. "Can… Can we finish this later?" His voice now sounded tired and wounded. "Please?"

Everyone nodded. Yes, it had been enough for all of them that day.

* * *

Tim watched the fire crackle as silent tears cascaded from his gray eyes. 'Why?' was his only question for the world, 'Why?'

_Dah dah dundah duh duh dan duh…_ Starfire's communicator shrilled. "Eep!" She squeaked flying out of the room.

Little did she know that Tim had known that she was sneaking up on him the whole time.

Starfire flipped her communicator opened, "Hello?"

Kid Flash's face crackled onto the screen. "Hey there Star! I can't believe this thing still works!!"

"Are you in need of assistance friend Kid Flash?"

"No, we were wondering if we could get together some time."

"Who is the we that you speak of friend?" Starfire asked curiously. "You and the Flash I might presume?"

"No, me and my wife, Jinx." Kid Flash beamed.

Starfire did her happy squeal. "!!!! My happiest regards to you both! Might I be expecting to see a little gorfca in the near futures?"

Kid Flash shrugged. "Lemme ask her." He covered the screen with his hand for a second. Starfire could hear a muffled, "Starfire wants to know if you're pregnant." After a moment the studly muffin known as Kid Flash reappeared. "Jinx says no and to never speak of that again."

Starfire pouted. "Well, as for a visit I am currently residing at Wayne Manor. I am unsure of the guest invitation regulations here."

"Wow." The fiery haired hero whistled. "Fancy set up. Maybe dinner then, all of us!"

Starfire bobbed her heads doing another one of her happy squeals. "Oh yes, I will ask my friends. How the bout on the morrow at seven hours past noon?"

"Absolutely, see you then Star." The screen was abandoned, again blank.

* * *

Tim didn't sleep that night. All night his own voice echoed in his head, over and over again until he was certain someone on the outside was screaming it in his ear. 'PLEASE KILL ME!! PLEASE!!'

The serum had him LITERALLY begging for death.

Again Tim stood and paced back and forth around his room. "I want to tell myself that I wasn't in the right mind… I WANT to be completely innocent in this…heck… I WISH I HAD BEEN INSANE!" Tim was suddenly aware he was shouting. Thank goodness his room was sound proof.

One glance in the mirror told Tim more he wanted to know. Deep purple bags were under his eyes. Another quick glance reminded him to wear his mask all day tomorrow, no need to worry them more than necessary.

Suddenly something pleasant dawned on him. It would NEVER happen again… ever… just once more to get it out of his system and the POOF! It would be gone forever.

Another pleasant thought… It was November 30… twenty some days 'till Christmas. Sure he'd only get two or three gifts but that didn't matter. One thing that would perk up a sad Tim Drake was the thought of a quiet Christmas Eve and then a loud party on Christmas day.

Tim forced himself to lie down, forcing himself not to think of the now soft voice repeating "Kill me please.", forced himself to be a hero once again.

* * *

The door opened and closed. Lora sat up straight, realizing she had dozed off.

A man wearing a mask with a Red-X on it walked in. "You're still up?"

"I was worried about you. I thought you'd given up." Lora pushed her light blond hair out of her eyes.

Red-X pulled his mask off, revealing a heavily scarred right cheek, bright green eyes, and tousled brown hair. "When have I ever given up?"

Lora hugged him. "When is this going to be over Jason?"

"Soon Lora, we're almost safe." He took her left hand and twisted her diamond ring around once. "I promised you that before we got married remember?"

"That was TWO years ago." Lora sighed tiredly.

"I'm trying Lora, I'm trying SO hard to make it end."

"Why can't you just step out of the way?"

"I know who killed Robin Lora, what kind of person would I be if I didn't?"

Lora's lightly colored lips tugged up at the ends. "I knew it!"

"Knew what?"

Jason's wife carefully traced the raised scars on his cheek. "That you were a hero."

"I've done some pretty bad stuff in my life."

"But you're still fighting for justice."

"Justice…" Jason repeated squinting his eyes. "Such an odd word…"

* * *

***GASP!!* Did I just reveal the secret identity of Red-X ?!?**

**Did I not just write another totally awesome chapter in under 3 hours?!?**

**I belive I just wrote a whole 3,000 words!!**

**WOAH!!! Go me. Yes, I am a Flinx Fan. A MAJOR Flinx fan. **

**If you don't celebrate Christmas I am not trying to offend you or any of that stuff. It's just what I celebrate. I'm Christian, I won't deny it!!**

**, for those of you who are wondering I will be on break for… a little while. I'm going to visit my grandmother for Thanksgiving.**

**Who rah… SO I will not be able to write for about a week… sorry!!**


	8. Chapter 8

Robin carefully eased the Memorandum helmet on once more. Everyone was there; Bruce, Barbra, Raven, Beast Boy, Starfire, and of course Glor. He didn't want to go back. He'd had to live with this for years, but he'd never had to relive it.

Shaking out the last thoughts of regret Tim focused all his thoughts on that night… the night it all happened… the night he became scarred, labled for life.

(Memorandom scene)

_The screen flashed on with a dim whir, the sudden light almost overpowering. Slowly, very slowly, it dimmed so one could view Robin, again restrained to the metal hospital bed._

He was alone. No Joker. No Harley. In an odd way, this thought did not comfort him. In fact, it scared all sense from him. He let his head thud to the side and he gazed at various tools, both medical and mediocre…Mostly mediocre. There were needles, IV bags, beakers, Bunsen burners, and bottles… then there was a plunger, a box of cigarettes, an ash tray, and several other odds and ends like chess pieces and a rubber duck.

A door opened and closed and a sickening laugh urged Robin to lift his head. He did so, coming face to face with the grinning fiend. Immeadiately Robin shrank away, looking for something to defend himself with. "Now, is Jay ready to be a good little boy?"

Thinking fast Robin hocked up a lugey and spat it into his foe's eye. "How's that for good behavior?"

Joker wiped the spit from his eye calmly, still grinning. "Oh-ho little Robby, I see you still refuse to realize that you're fighting for the wrong side.

_Robin flinched._

"Oh yes, the pawn doesn't want to believe that his noble king has been using him without care." As he spoke the Joker lifted one of the chess pieces. The black pawn rested in the gloved hand.

_Robin grit his teeth together, digging his fingernails into his palms. _

Robin began to pull at his restraints again, furious that the mad man befor him would even suggest something like that. Bruce had given him a home, not only a place to live, but a real life. "I'll never tell you anything!!" Robin shouted.

The horrible, nerve wretching laugh echoed off again. "That's so typical of you little birdie. You automatically believe all I want is information on Gotham's great caped crusader." The Joker again drew near to Robin, who flailed around in a desperate attemp to free himself. "Is that really all you think you have to offe? Has Batsie made sure you turned into his perfect little errand boy? A robot to carry out his orders?"

_Robin shuddered leaning further into his chair. He felt light-headed and dizzy, just like he had then…_

Now the Joker was leaning over Robin's confining bed. Robin froze. He stopped moving and breathing. "No no no, my dear Jay… you're far more important to me than you ever were to him. You're like… my son."

_The edges of the screen became blurred with a reddish hue. Robin clutched the arms of the chair he was in even tighter. Raven glanced at him nervously._

Meanwhile the Robin on screen shouted "SHUT UP!!!!!" There was a whip-like snapping noise as he tore through one of the restraints off of his right leg. He swung his foot up and it collided with the Joker's face.

Then the screen was black…

______

Robin's hands were shaking as he glared at the blank screen. Barbra approached him slpwly. "Tim it's all right." She said softly, carefully placing a hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her defensively. "I'm FINE." Robin practically growled, shrugging her hand away. "I think I broke his nose… I don't remember but I hope I did. He deserved that one."

Silence took over for a moment. Then Bruce spoke from the darkest corner of the room. "Show them the rest."

Time nodded, glaring down at his hands. "I—this get's a little…well…strange."

"It's cool dude." Beast Boy chimmed in, "We're all kinda used to strange."

Without another word Tim pulled the helmet back on.

_______

There was a loud ripping noise. "There now...Nothing a little duct tape can't fix, 'ay sonny boy?" Then the maniac laughed his blood curdling laught. He had duct-taped Robin's entire lower body to the operating bed.

"You're… you're insane…" Robin panted. A large bruise had appeared on his face, stretching from his right cheek up to his eyebrow. The Joker had hit him… hard.

"It's not so much insanity as it is…" The Joker paused, flourishing his hands for effect, "Creative thinking." He laughed again as if this was the funniest thing he'd heard in months. He grabbed a large syringe from the nearby table. The moment Robin saw the needle he was fighting the restraints that held his arms, seeing as there wasn't much he could do about the duct tape. Seeing this, the Joker clicked his tougne. "Now little Jay there's no need to fuss. It'll only hurt a lot."

Robin Jerked away from the sharp implament as best he could while restrained, but the cold, sharp needle still found it's mark and was plunged deep into his exposed arm. It hurt…a lot.

_Robin threw his head back and screamed hoarsley. On screen the past Robin went limp, but the present Robin began clawing at his arm, trying to get the long gone needle out. "STOP!" Raven cried. She raed over to him and grabbed his shoulders. He pulled away from her as the on screen Joker's laugh echoed louder and louder._

_Beast Boy ran to help Raven and eventually the managed to pin him back down into the seat. "No…NO PLEASE!!!" He yelled, still fighting they're holding hands. His eyes were wide, but he didn't see them. His subconcious had overpowered all other senses and he had been plunged into the past._

"_What must we do?" Starfire shreiked, fightened by both the memory and Robin's sudden outburst. "Glor make this stop!"_

_Said Tamaranian reached for the controls on his invention, but Bruce had somehow ended up in front of them. "If you turn it off now he might not snap out of it."_

"_I am aware." Glor responded, nodding grimly. "If his subconcious has taken over his reality then I might be able to patch into the frequency caused by these hallucinations. Then maybe we can further understand this serum."_

_Beast Boy had fallen behind at 'Subconcious'. "And in English that means…?"_

"_I don't understand." Glor tilted his head to the side. "Was I not speaking in correct terms as used by those humans on planet Earth living in the providence known as the United States?"_

_Beast Boy shook his head, "Nevermind."_

_After turning a few knobs and flicking a few switches Glor had a hazy picture on screen._

The past Robin was sitting in the middle of the street, a small curly haired child in his arms. She layed there limply… she was dead. He was crying, rocking the small body back and forth. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Gently and tenderly Robin laid the girl down on the street again. They had never met… and yet he had failed her.

The haze pushed back, revealing more people littering the street. All either dead or so close to death they could not move or think. Robin began to walk, hoping to find someone who was alive…

All that the young sidekick got was more and more bodies. He began to sob uncontrollably as he passed them. "No…I'm sorry…"

_Tears stung Raven's own eyes but she quicly blinked them away. She stared at the 18 year-olds contorted face as he relived the horrors of his past. How had this happened to someone like him?_

Everywhere he turned Robin saw more and more people he couldn't save. After what seemed like an eternal stretch of walking, he froze, gazing at two particular bodies as if in a trance. The moment he was about a foot from him it dawned on the young man who they were. A long, mornful moan escaped his lips and he collapsed onto his knees. There, spread out before him, were the two bodies that had once belonged to Bruce Wayne and Barbra Gordan. They were both lying there, dead and gone…face down on the dirt and pavement.

"I…I've failed."

_Robin stopped fighting BB and Raven's forceful holds His muscles convulsed and he went silent, no longer shouting._

He carefully rolled they're bodies over so they were on their backs, apologizing and crying the whole time. "I…I tried to stop it I swear." He crossed Bruce's arms over his chest, placing an R-rang beneath them.

Then he turned to Barbara's body. "Oh Geez Barbra, I screwed up…" He laughed a tired painful laugh. "I'll have to tell you're dad now…and… and I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Barbra." He pulled a few bits of dirt and clumps of grass out of her red hair. "M-Maybe there's s-still a chance th-that you can hear me… and i-if you c-can then I—" Then the sobs overpowered the boys ability to speak.

_The scene dissapeared and the now concious Robin heaved a sigh of relief, his eyes closing slowly. Then he jolted to an upright position as the scene was replaced._

Again Robin was in the same bed, with the same surroundings, with the same psycopath standing before him, ready to throw a switch and juice him with a couple thousand voltz. "Rise and shine sonny boy, you're mom came to visit. Be nice to her."

Robin felt himself nod slowly. He was too tired to make a witty comeback or some smart remark.

"Hello my sweet little Jay. Feeling better?" Harley's sickly sweet voice inquired.

"No." Robin's head thunked to the side.

She came over to stand beside her 'son' and put a hand to his fore-head. Then she frowned and turned to face her 'husband'. "I thought you said you wouldn't use that on him again."

The Joker's ever present smile vanished. "You thought," He grumbled.

Robin groaned as the room swam before him sickeningly. He felt like he was going to puke if it didn't stop swirling. "It's burning me…" He whispered. "I… I let them die…"

Harley put a hand on her son's cheek and smiled at him sadly. "There, there sweetheart, Mommy's here. Nobody important died."

Her words were… comforting. What Robin said scared him half to death and then some. "Thanks momma."

___________ (end memorandum)

Robin's hands flew to the side of the helmet and tugged it off. Beads of sweat were rolling down his temples as he struggled out of the chair, immeadiately collapsing against Glor, who held him upright. "Easy there." He said, easing Robin into the chair again.

"No." Robin pushed the orange boy away and stood shakily, looking around at everyone. "I'm sorry. I can't… I need to take a walk." He turned and hurried through the door.

Starfire gazed after him. "I do not understand. You two are not dead and yet Robi—Tim saw you die."

"Just another one of Joker's manic tricks, Tim had imagined everything that happened along that street." Bruce answered.

"He shouldn't be out there alone, Bruce, you know how he gets." Barbra was pacing. "How did he pull it off? It was so easy to break Tim down after the serum was in him…It doesn't make sense."

"I'll go." Raven volunteered. "If he tries anything stupid I'll stop him."

Bruce nodded. "That's probably best."

_______

Robin hurried down the empty corridors of Wayne Manor, ignoring the fuzzy look around the edges of everything. He pushed the back doors open and walked into the cold night air. It hadn't snowed yet, but it was close. He glared ahead of him staring at the shimmering lake out on the back long. He stopped at the edge.

It wasn't fair…Not only did the man torture him with memories of pain when he was just a kid… but he had also tortured him with the memories of KILLING when he was just a kid. Anger threatened to boil over and Tim felt his body quiver… and it wasn't because of the cold. He heard someone come up behind him, whoever it was didn't say anything. "I'm not crazy…I was sane that whole time. I KNEW what I was doing." Robin was shaking again.

"Tim…I know you're not insane but the serum—"

"But the serum made me do things I wouldn't normally do." It was Raven. Tim would try to control himself.

Raven stood next to him and they both stared into the water. "Do you want to talk?"

Robin didn't answer, instead he changed the subject. "Aren't you going to be late?"

She looked at her watch. It was 5:00 p.m. "I have time." He shook violently again, this time she noticed. "Are you okay?"

"No…" Robin's voice shook too. "I'm not okay… He took everything from me Raven." Tears began to pour from his eyes. He pulled his mask off and wiped them away. "I was just a little kid."

Raven caught his arm and glared at his eyes. In the dim light of the evening she saw the deep purple bags beneath his glistening eyes and the tears. "How old were you?"

"Thirteen…" Robin sat down in the grass. "I'd already been in the field for 4 years but…nothing prepared me for what he put me through."

"You're alive aren't you?"

"You wouldn't understand!" Robin snapped. He took a shuddering breath and calmed himself. "Sorry. It's just…" Robin bit his lip. "Here I am 18 years old, with everything a normal teen would want…but I feel like I've missed out on everything. I never went to highschool, I never got to go to prom, and I never even had a real girlfriend for goodness sake! And all because I spent my fourteenth birthday in an asylum, came out the next year and couldn't do anything without hearing his voice, and spent the next three waiting for it to go away."

Raven put a hand on his shoulder. "I missed out on that stuff too."

They sat silently for around five minutes. "Have you ever killed anyone Raven?"

Raven flinched. Again with this i-killed-and-you-didn't thing?? "Tim I—"

Robin held up a hand. "Have you ever held the cold metal of a gun in your hands and used it to kill someone you hated so much that it killed you from inside? Have you EVER taken someone's life? ANYONE'S???" Robin was shaking again, holding his head in his hands.

"No." Raven whispered. "But I've been responsible for death."

"In accidents, of course," Robin lifted his head. "I meant to kill him." His head lolled to the side. "And I've paid the price evey moment since."

Raven glanced at her watch again. How had a whole half hour gone by? "Are you going to be okay now?"

"Yeah… sorry," He smiled weakly at her. "Have fun, you deserve it."

The second the door closed behind her Robin was on his feet and running. Where was he going? Well to be completely honest, he had no idea. He told himself he'd just go on patrol and hope to find a bank heist or something to put an end to.

He wouldn't find one, but it was nice to pretend he'd find SOMETHING.

______________

"Is he all right?" Beast Boy asked Raven when she came in.

The 20 year old girl nodded. "Yeah, he'll be okay." She looked at him, smiling slightly. That little smirk he loved.

"Like the tux?" Beast boy asked, turning a small circle so she could get the full effect.

Raven laughed and pushed by him playfully. "Save it for dinner hot shot."

__________

**GEEZE!!!!! I am sooooooooo sorry. I intended to have my Christmas special after this chapter ON CHRISTMAS!! Not after Valentines day. :(:(**

**I AM SOOO SORRY!! Things got crazy and I started a Left 4 Dead story called Wind in the Willows and everything just piled up and… sorry D:**

**So, I PROMISE I will never do this again.**

**Review???**


	9. Chapter 9

Starfire zipped the black dress up carefully for her friend. "There you go friend Raven." She forced a smile. "Now you are prepared to go meet friends Kid Flash and Jinx at the dinner."

Raven smiled at Starfire. "Thank you Star…are you okay?"

Starfire's own smile faltered. "Oh friend Raven, do you promise not to share my most secret thoughts with any single person?"

"Of course Starfire," Raven put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "What are friends for?"

"Well…" the tamaranian girl looked down at the floor. "I feel… upset by the way Glor's invention hurt Tim."

"You're not alone there Star, we're all shaken up."

"No. It is different for me." Starfire bit her lip. No, she was in no way attracted to Tim-in fact she found him the tiniest bit annoying-but it had hurt her. "He wore his Robin costume when it happened and for a moment…" Her words trailed off.

"You thought he was our Robin didn't you?"

Starfire nodded. "I have tried my very hardest to conceal how much it hurts me to see Tim as Robin and so I agreed to the eating of the dinner with Kid Flash so I wouldn't seem so sad… But I don't know if I'll be able to help myself in front of the two of them."

Raven knew what Starfire meant. Kid Flash and Jinx were married… in love. It would probably hurt the young woman to see them together, especially after Robin died.

"You'll be okay Star." Raven handed Starfire her communicator. "Let them know we're on our way.

* * *

Tim was still outside. Still alone. Still angry. Still hurting. Still running. How long had it been? Well, it had to have been around an hour now, it was almost seven. The world dropped out from under him as the hero launched himself from one roof to the next. He landed lightly, still moving forward.

Faster! He urged himself. Go faster!

The wind was whistling in his ears as he ran along the rooftops. As a kid this had made him feel alive and excited. Now it was just something he did. Again he leapt, further this time. He landed just as easily as he had before, but his boots skidded along the flat roof of the office building. He berated himself silently.

Stay quiet. You never know who's out there.

His calves began to burn with exherstion. Don't slow down. Keep moving!

Running had never been tiring for the young man, after years and years of training he could run at seven miles an hour for hours straight. 'Still no sign of trouble,' he noticed. 'Well; KEEP LOOKING!'

His cape trailed behind him like a black wing. Then a very unwanted voice slipped into his mind. _Who would care for someone like you? _He pushed it away. NO! Everything that mad man had told him was a lie. EVERYTHING!

Tim ran faster.

_He hasn't even been looking for you. _He vaulted over the edge of another building, landing clumsily but still not stopping. _He's probably forgotten all about his side kick. _

Faster…

_He would never search for you. It's all a waste of time in his opinion. _"Come on Tim, you're faster than this!" The masked teen growled at himself. No… he would NOT listen to the voice. Not again.

Again his feet left the sturdieness of the rooftops, again they skidded on the next roof, and again Tim's patience with himself wavered. Faster you idiot!

No matter how fast he went the voice followed. His voice…that voice he'd forever hate.

The next landing seemed to pull Tim's feet right out from under him. He landed in a heap on the roof. He simply lay there, staring into space blankly. His own thoughts from the past, echoing evilly in his mind. '_Perhaps at times, insanity was truly the better path.' _Tim covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to make the sound of his own voice stop. '_Maybe it was best to leave well enough alone…' _He told himself it was just his imagination and that watching himself go through that again had messed with his mind. '_Maybe insanity really was more comfortable than reality…' _It wasn't happening again! He wouldn't let it. '_Maybe…Just maybe…'_

"NO!" '_Maybe… there was no real way out…'_ "Leave me alone…" Tim whispered, still clutching his head. "I won't give in…not again."

Finally, both his own voice and the psycopath's had drifted away. He rolled onto his back and gazed at the starry sky. No clouds, no airplanes, no sudden gusts of wind; just the stars and a light breeze that played with the boy's tossled black hair.

It was quiet. Wonderfully quiet. Tim let his green eyes lock on the cresent moon as he lay on the top of the tall buisness building. "Come on Drake." The teen urged himself, sitting up slowly. "It's all in the past… all over."

Pulling up to a standing position Tim looked over the buildings ledge. With a sickening jolt he realised it was the same alleyway that Harley Quinn and the Joker had first captured him. It was here that it all started. It was right on this roof where he'd first seen her supposedly being mugged by the two muscular men. Tim gazed down at the street below. It was abandoned and strangely normal looking.

Tim sighed and turned away from the ledge. The maniac was gone. He could never hurt anyone again.

Tim himself had made sure of that.

* * *

The manor door closed behind Tim. He pulled his mask off of his face and meandered in. "TIM!" Barbra dashed around the corner and lifted the teen into a rib crushing hug. "I was so worried! You've been gone for hours!"

"Hours?" Tim looked at the clock on the wall. It was half past midnight. "I was just on patrol. I'm fine Barbra really."

The firey haired woman released her young ward and put her hands on her hips. "Where?"

Lie, Tim told himself. "Just around. Went over to the west side of town to do some checking around." The words came so easily that Tim almost believed them himself.

"Uh huh. So THAT'S why the police scanner has been picking up on reports of 'The caped vigilante known as Robin staring at an alleyway on the NORTH side of town as if expecting something'."

Busted.

"Oh yeah that." Tim started to walk away. "It was nothing, I thought I saw someone."

"Tim," Barbra sighed. "Look at what he's done to you."

"Tim's back." Beast boy noted, pointing out the window. The three heroes had returned from a fancy night out on the town with their newly wed friends. They had shared stories of the past and then went out to see a showing of 'Swan Lake' in the theatre across the street. Starfire had been facsinated by it and had been telling the entire story to Glor, who had been equally transfixed.

Now all four crowded around the window and watched Tim walk towards the front steps. "Why does he not simply enter into the under the ground Batcave of hiding?" Starfire wondered allowed.

"I dunno, maybe he forgot his key." Beast boy laughed.

Raven smacked the back of his head. "He's upset right now BB. TRY to be serious."

"Ouch! Fine, sorry just tryin' to lighten the mood." The green changeling grumbled.

The door to the living room swung open. "Hey guys." A fully costumed Tim waved and entered. He sat down on one of the armchairs, legs swung over one edge. "How was dinner?"

Everyone was speechless. There he sat-just a few hours before crazy mad and hallucinating—striking up a regular conversation. "Uhm…It was most enjoyable, though a small bit of the disappointing." Starfire finally answered.

"Oh yeah." Beast boy chimed in. "All Star did was annoy Jinx about babies until Jinx was finally all like 'Listen up Starfire,'" The young man stood, impersonating a ticked off Jinx. "'I don't know why all you want to know is if me and Wally are havin' a baby, but it's really annoying so knock it off.'"

Everyone laughed, even Tim.

* * *

(Memorandum scene)

"You know your daddy loves you snookums," Harley told the younger Robin on screen as she pulled off the duct tape from around his legs. He listened intently, smiling at her. Another, even larger, bruise had appeared on his upper right forehead. "He just doesn't like it when you go all hero on him."

Robin nodded, still smiling sweetly, and patted Harley's shoulder.

She continued, balling up the duct tape and tossing it aside. "That Batman is a bad influence on you and you hurt your daddy when you kicked him. It makes him mad when you hurt him Jay, do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am. I won't hurt daddy anymore." Robin's legs were free, but he made no move to escape. "Momma, why is daddy like that?"

Harley sighed and pulled her son into a close hug. "Mista Jay just wants what's best for you sweety. He's scared you'll hurt us because of who you were."

"I would never hurt you momma," Robin smiled at his 'mother'. "But daddy scares me; I just don't like it when he hits me. I also don't like the needles momma."

"I don't like the needles either Jay, but that's what happens when you hurt your daddy."

Robin nodded. He ran a hand through his long black locks. "Momma, why am I so different?"

Harley frowned. "Because Batman made you that way hun."

Robin looked down at his shoes. He wondered why he was buying into this stuff, after all, Batman had saved him… and the Joker had hurt him. But then there was Harley, who did seem to want to help. "Momma would you like it if I made daddy happy?"

"Yes dear." Harley smiled down at her 'son'. "That would make me very happy."

"I'll make daddy a plan, that'll make him happy." Robin grinned and hopped down from his bed. "And it'll make you happy too."

So Tim set to work on the blue prints of his genius plan to capture the Batman that bothered his 'mother' so much. It was a great plan too that could've worked had he gotten to take a chance at fulfilling it. "MOMMA! Momma come see!"

Tim pulled the curtain open that led out of his 'room' into another one where he could always hear his 'mom' singing. He didn't see Harley. He did see Joker. "Dad…" Robin said in a small voice. "Dad, I brought you something."

The Joker looked up from his work that was spread out on the 'dining room' table. "What is it, I'm busy?" He snapped.

Robin looked to the floor, terrified. "I…I made you a plan. I…I just wanted to—"

The paper was snatched out of the young boys had. "Three bears on a unicycle with me as the ring leader and batman hanging upside down in the middle of a flaming hoop for a circus tiger to jump through and devour him." The Joker just stared down at his 'son' for a moment and then began to laugh wildly. Robin smiled, believing that his plans had pleased his 'father'. Next thing he knew he was shoved down and pushed over by the laughing man. "It's predictable, sloppy, and easily compromised."

Robin struggled to his feet and tried to get away, only to be knocked aside by another blow.

"You think you're smart because the Batman trained you. You're just a little kid who—"

Without knowing what to do Robin swept his right heel across the Joker's face and as the villian stumbeld backwards puched him as hard as he could.

"Jay-Jay!" Harley gasped as she entered the room. "What on Earth are you…?" Her comment fell short as the Joker grabbed Robin's arm and pushed by her. "Puddin' what are you doing with him?"

"I'm sick of this. Time to do things the right way," he said, forcing Robin into the metal bed again.

Harley grabbed his shoulder. "Not like this. Just give him a little while, he'll learn."

Joker ignored her plea and shrugged her hand off. Strapping the writhing boy down he cackled again. "The bat is already on our tails. There's no more time. We're doing it my way."

Robin blinked a few times. His body felt like it was on fire, his face was pulled back uncomfortably and he couldn't move. He took a rasping breath and glared at the bright lights hanging over him. He felt utterly sick and dizzy. He could faintly hear his momma singing. "Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird,"

He giggled darkly at the familiarity of the song. It was so ironic that Harley of all people would BUY something.

"And if that mockingbird don't sing," Her voice was surprisingly clear and a nice pitch when it came down to it. "Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring turns brass, Momma's gonna buy you a looking glass. And if that looking glass gets broke—"

The beautiful, soothing voice was cut short by the familiar thud of the door being thrown open.

"Puddin', company!" Harley called.

'Huh,' Robin thought vaguely. 'Who could be visiting?' Mentally reminding himself his name was Jay now he listened intently.

"Hello there," The Joker greeted whoever the guest was. "Welcome to our happy abode."

"Where's Robin?" A gruff, tough, and all too familiar voice growled.

"Robin?" Jay's 'father' sounded confused. "There's no Robin here."

"Maybe he means our little Jay?" Harley offered.

Joker snapped his fingers, "Of course! That's it!"

Jay could hear footsteps for a moment before his mom spoke up. "Ah-ah-ah, no peekin'!"

The familiar sound of the 'ribbon-bazooka' resounded through the room and Jay could faintly hear someone's body hit the ground.

"Mommy's little helper." Harley swooned, and her 'son' could hear her pat the side of the bazooka.

"Ya know Bats we've been doing this little run around of ours for 's been loads of laughs, but the sad fact is, none of us are getting any younger."

"That old clocks a-tickin." Harley added

"Quite right pooh," The Joker agreed. "And Harley and I were thinking it was time to start a family, maybe add a Joker Junior to our merry brood."

"But rather than go through of the JOY of child birth, we decided to adopt." She inserted sweetly.

Jay heard two sets of footsteps this time and since the 'visitor' was tied up on the floor at the moment he assumed it was his 'parent'. Joker continued, "We couldn't do it legally, of course, but then we remembered you always had a few…spare kids running around. So we borrowed one."

The curtains around Jay's 'room' opened slowly and his bed tilted so it was mostly upward on a slight incline. It rolled forward mechanically so he was just barely in the view of the intruder. Said intruder whispered, "No…" as if in disbelief.

"He needed a little molding of course," Jay could see his parents now, standing on either side of the opening in the curtain. "What kid doesn't? But in time we came to love him as our own." The Joker turned to see his son and said, "Say hello Jay-Jay."

Leaning into the light Jay laughed at the surprised face of his previous mentor. Unbuckleing the single restraint across his mid-section Jay hopped down, landing a little clumsily. Moving hurt, but he could see the pleased look in his father's eyes and the smile on his momma's face. Slowly straightening up and laughing a little harder Jay looked down at himself. He was wearing a purple pair of dress shorts along with a purple tailed coat over a green dress shirt and green bow tie. His skin was pure white like his fathers and one of the locks of hair that was hanging in his eyes was a dark greenish color. He looked back at his 'dad'and grinned.

_**Starfire gasped and covered her mouth in shock. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she watched. It was horrible. How could someone do this? Raven glanced curiously over at Tim. He was watching the screen calmly, as if this part didn't bother him at all. Beast Boy wanted to cover his eyes. He wanted to pretend this had never happened. He wanted it to be another scary movie where after you turn it off the story goes away and never actually happened.**_

The screen flashed a bright white for a fraction of a second.

There was fighting going on. That's all Jay knew. He stood and waited for his father. He ignored his aching muscles and waited. It didn't take long before his father tumbled down off of the upper rows of the seats. He saw Jay standing there and grinned even as the Batman lifted him off of the ground by his neck.

"I'll break you in two." He growled deeply.

"Oh Batsie," The struggling clown laughed, "If you'd had the guts to do that you would've done it years ago I on the other hand." He pulled a knife out of his sleeve and dragged it swiftly down his asalants arm. As Batman twisted out of the way with a pained grunt he brought it swiftly down and dug it into his knee cap.

The Bat fell as Jay watched, grinning. Inside he wanted to laugh, but he knew that it wasn't over yet.

Joker followed, hopping down from the pile of brightly colored boves. Kneeling next the Batman's fallen form he whispered. "You've lost Batman. Robin is mine. The last sound you'll ever hear is the sound of our laughter." Pulling the incapitated hero up by his collar he grabbed one of his guns that was laying near-by and began to aim…but then he got a better idea. "Here ya go sonny boy."

He tossed the gun to his son who caught it and looked up, grinning tightly.

"Make daddy proud!" He lifted the Batman a little more. "Deliver the punch line."

Jay took aim, beginning to laugh again. He pointed the gun directly at the Batman's head. Laughing harder he pulled the trigger…and a small flag reading 'BANG!' popped out.

"Tim…" Batman's face fell a bit as he looked at what his protige had become.

Jay started to lower the gun. Shaking his head he laughed uncontrolably taking aim again. His hands began to shake as he argued internally with himself. He started gasping for breath between nerve wracking laughs. "DO IT!" The Joker shouted at him.

He squeezed one eye shut; biting his lower lip tightened his grip on the trigger. He had to pull it. He knew he had to. If he didn't his father would be angry. More needles would come. More pain. His mother would be hurt too.

Then he remembered what Bruce and Barbra had done for him.

Jay re-adjusted his aim quickly and pulled the trigger a second time. And the Joker took the 'punch-line' to the chest. With a surprised yell he fell back against one of the colorful boxes. "That's not funny…" He gasped out, clutching his chest. "That's not funny at all—"

And with that, the Joker was no more.

Jay's laughter started up again as he and Batman gazed at the Joker's unnaturally still form. Batgirl burst through the side door and took in the scene. Jay's grin began to faulter as he laughed and he dropped the gun, letting it clatter across the began flooding over the lover lids of his eyes and he fell to his knees. The laughter melted into sobs. Jay disappeared and Tim was back again.

Barbra came over to his side and sat down, pulling him onto her lap. Holding him against her she whispered, "It's okay Tim. It's okay."

(End Memorandum scene)

* * *

A shocked silence fell over the group as the scene ended. Glor carefully turned the machine off and flicked the lights back on.

"And that's what happened." Tim sighed lifting the helmet off and handing it to the Tamaranian. "We buried him there and I spent a year in an instatution."

The intercom turned on with a slight hiss. "Master Bruce, I know this is inconvinient, but someone named Jason is here to see you."

Cocking an eyebrow Tim looked over at Bruce, who shrugged. "Excuse me. I need to go see what this is about."

-Later that Evening-

All of the remaining Titans, Glor, and Tim were standing around the pool table in the living room playing a few rounds when someone finally got the guts to bring it up. "So," Beast Boy mused, shooting the cue ball into the 11. The latter rolled lazily into the pocket. "That's what really happened."

"Nice," Tim noted before rounding the table and getting three more balls in. "Well, yeah. Unless I just happened to suddenly become disfigured into a psycopath by no one in particular. Why?"

"I just don't get how that helps us here." BB sighed, making way for Raven to make her shot. She didn't make any in but she set up the table so there were no easy shots for anyone else.

"I don't really know either," Tim conceded. "But I guess we'll find out." He'd been feeling better. After getting it all out on a table (figuratively) the whole ordeal just faded a little. Sure he still felt guilty, but at least he could deal with it.

"I am the curious." Starfire sighed, examining the table. "What are you participating in exactly?"

"Pool. We're almost done though." Raven smiled. "Then I think we should all go out to see  
Kid Flash and Jinx again."

"Yeah," Tim agreed, "The paparazzi need something new to write about."

They all laughed, except Starfire. "Why are you reffering to the Lady of Gaga's musical composure in this way?" She asked skeptically.

They all broke into laughter again.

* * *

**Okay! Finally done. I'm sorry. I really am. But here it is. :D**

**I don't own anything in the memorandum scene. Most of it is word for word from the movie. If you wanna see the material I used for it go on Youtube and watch 'The Death of the Joker in "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker'. It's ten minutes long but WAYYY better than the cut scenes you'd see on Cartoon Network where they cut out the knife and any other violence.**

**OH! And the youtube video is by froger472. **

**I own nothing but the plot and the alter ego of Red-X!**


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